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Her mother Cheryl had since forgotten all about it so she was shocked to discover the reply back from the palace last Wednesday afternoon.

“It was just such a surprise, it came out of the blue. It just took so long” said Cheryl Bates.

“I saw it and thought why has Lily got a letter she’s only five.

“Then I turned it round and saw it was from Buckingham Palace!”

Lily Prue Bates (Image: Vincent Cole)

Lily was so happy she got a response that she took the letter straight into to show her fellow students at Mather Street Primary School the following day. Lily’s so excited, she just can’t believe she got the letter.

“She’s really proud of it she asked me to put it into a frame and she took it into school to show the other kids.

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“The message in the letter just said thank you for the card and apologised for how long it took.”

Lily was even thoughtful enough to slip in a ten pence coin into the card before she sent it off along with the birthday message written out to Queen Elizabeth.

Lily Prue Bates (Image: Vincent Cole)

“When I asked her why she put the 10p in she just said it’s because everyone gets money on their birthday,” said Cheryl, an administrator at Manchester College. Lily’s got a great grandmother whose 91 herself and is really patriotic so she was over the moon.”

Lily lives with her parents Cheryl and Keith as well as older siblings Callum and Olivia, on Moston Lane in Failsworth.

“Her brother and sister Callum and Olivia just couldn’t believe it, they said it would only happen to Lily! Lily’s a right character. We always say we think she’s been here before.”